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z-sneeta-lsneet 1". G. P. PITM AN & H ALL'AIRE. MANUFAGTURE 0F BOATSPROM GE LLULOID, 850.

(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 8,- 1884'.

' YiINVEN TORS':

WITNE @454 By their ua'lttorney,

SS W

N. PETER5. mmmmn m. Wuhinglolv. 0. c

V r 2 Sheet-Sheet 2. C. P. PITMAN & H ALLAIRE. v 'MANUFACTURBOPBOATSFROM GELLUL'O'ID, m. "N0. 291.533 Patented Jan. 851884.

INVENTORS: 6? 0142; r MW their Attorney" Un'rrnn S'rarns PATENT @rrrcnCHARLES P. PITMAN, OF FREEHOLD, AND HAL ALLAIRE, OF ALLAIRE, N. J.

MANUFACTURE OF BOATS FROM CELLULOID, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,53 f, dated January8,1884.

Application filed November 10, 1883. (No model.)

Similar Substances; and we hereby declare the following to be a full andclear description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view showing the first stage of theprocess of forming the sheet-celluloid ou the former or model. Fig. 2shows the application of the heated formers at the bow. Fig. 3 shows theapplication of the formers along the body of the boat. Fig.

a shows the application of the formers at the stem of the boat. Fig. 5shows the flask or mold in which the boat is placed before removing themodel. Fig. 6 shows a portion of Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show thedifferentshaped formers used in the process of manufacture, and Fig. 10shows the manner of heating the formers when hollow ones are used.

The object of our invention is to facilitate the construction of lightboats from thin sheets of celluloid and other similar substances; and itconsists, principally, in new and improved methods of manipulating thecelluloid when in the form of thin sheets, so as to readily construct aboat of .any desired length or shape from sheet celluloid, coralline,and similar substances which will have the proper strength and wearingqualities, and our invention also relates to new and improved apparatusused in carrying out such methods of construction.

We are aware thatdescriptions have heretofore been given for makingboats from celluloid by using boards, plates, or sheets of celluloid byplacing them over the ribs or skeleton of a boat, to which they arefastened by aid of a paste made of celluloid dissolved in naphtha orspirits of wine, and also by running the celluloid into a matrix, whereit is molded into the complete form of a boat; but

we have discovered by experiment that these methods are not practicable,owing to the qualities and characteristics of the substances to beemployed, as celluloid, zylonite, coralline, and like materials requirea new and different treatment from any that has yet been devised inorder to successfully construct a boat of the proper shape and stabilitytherefrom.

In order to enable those skilled in the art .to use our new and improvedprocess of construction, we will proceed to describe it.

We first construct or procure a moldor model of the shape and size ofthe boat which it is desired to build,which, in the case of what isknown as a racingshellj would be of the.

shape shown in Fig. l by the letter A,which we term the body or model.This model of the hull may be of wood or paper, if desired, taking forthe purpose any boat that has already been made of wood or paper, theouter surface of such boat forming the model of theboat to beconstructed. If a wooden or paper mold is used, the outer surface may befirst covered with tin-foi l or similar substance which will lie closelyand evenly over the whole outer surface of the model where the sheet ofcelluloid, zylonite, or coralline is to be laid. This mold or model Arests on a detached strip or false gunwale, B, which is preferably ofwood, extending all around the base of the model, when placed inposition for receiving the sheet of material. Asheet of celluloid orsimilar substance, O, is'thcn laid upon the model,extending its entirelength from stem to stern, as shown in Fig. 1, and at the center thissheet is first gradually bent down on each side by a gentle applicationof heat, if the temperature is low, and it is then tacked or otherwisesecured to the false gunwale B. After the sheet of celluloid or similarsubstance is laid straight on the model A and secured, as shown in Fig.1, it is pressed gradually down on the model A and bent into shape bymeans of hollow formers or jackets D D, which are filled with hot waterthrough the openings a a from time to time, so as to keep them at theproper temperature, a sheet of muslin or cloth, E, being laid betweenthe former and the material C, the sheet of cloth being slightlymoistened with water. This intervening cloth sheet E may or may not beused, but is preferable when the formers are very hot. At the extremeends,which will constitute the stem and stern of the boat, the looseformers used should be of a shape to correspond with the model of theboat being made, such as appear in D and D, and at the stem and sternthe sheet of material may be pulled and pressed with the heated formers,so as to be formed into shape without any cutting or trimming. Ifdesired, the stem and stern may be finished with metal tips; but thecelluloid can be made to and 6.) In order that the shell may not loseits shape before the skeleton or frame is placed in it, plaster is atthis stage of the manufacture run in the flask or box around the shellbefore the model A is removed. The same flask may then be afterward usedfor boats of exactly the same size and shape, and for those of differentsizes or shapes the plaster may be cut out and run over again. The sheetof material is then cut evenly all around at the upper edge of the modelA, which is then removed, leaving the shell made from the sheet ofcelluloid or similar substance in the concave mold or flask G, afterwhich the necessary framework is placed inside such shell or hull andsecured to it by gluing or otherwise; and the cockpit or seating-spaceof the oarsman is then built in position, the space from the stem andstern to the cockpit being decked over with sheet-celluloid or similarsubstance, which may be united with the shell at the gunwale by liquidcelluloid or other cement. The model A may also be made of metal andheated by means of steam or hot water, so that the sheet of celluloid orsimilar substance when laid on it will be heated by the model A itself,in which case the formers may be used cold or partially cold.

In order to morefirml y securethe frame-work to the shell, a sheet ofmuslin or similar substance may be first laid on and united with thesheet of material as an inner lining, so that the keelson or gunwales may be more readily glued to such lining.

WVhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. As an article of manufacture,a boat made of sheet-celluloid formedinto shape on a mold or model, A, by means of heated formers D D,substantially as shown and described.

2. The within-described process of forming the shell or hull of aboatout of asheet of celluloid or similar substance by means of a mold, A,and heated formers D D, substantially as shown and described.

3. In the construction of boats from sheetcelluloid, the formers orjackets D D, in combination with a mold or model, A,upon which thesheet-celluloid is pressed into shape, substantially as shown anddescribed.

4. In the construction of boats from sheetcelluloid, the combination ofthe concave mold D and mold A, having a loose gunwale, B, substantiallyas and for the purposes shown and described.

5. In the construction of boats from sheetcelluloid, the model A, madeof metal, and false gunwale B, of wood, for the reception and retentionof the sheet of celluloid when pressed into shape by formers D D,substantially as shown and described.

6. A boat or racing-shell with a hull composed of sheet-celluloid orsimilar substance, formed into shape over a paper or wooden boat alreadymade, whereby the exact shape and proportions of such wooden or paperboat may be obtained in celluloid, substantially in the manner and bythe means herein shown and described.

CHARLES P. PITMAN. HAL ALLAIRE.

WVitnesses:

AARON E. JoHNsToN, OTTO CROUSE.

